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SEATTLE, WA - When the Seattle Seahawks went out and grabbed free agent quarterback Matt Flynn from the Green Bay Packers, many suspected the backup signal-caller was was destined to take the starting job from Tarvaris Jackson.

The problem with that logic stems from the fact Pete Carroll is the one making the decision, not the armchair quarterbacks out there.

Carroll spoke with the NFL Network's "Total Access" on Monday while attending a NFL Play 60 event in the Los Angeles area. When the third-year Seahawks coach was asked where he stood in the QB battle, he gave an answer that gives the appearance of a clear-cut favorite in the three-way race between Jackson, Flynn and rookie Russell Wilson.

"We're going to stay with Tarvaris as the number one," Carroll said. "He maintained that through all the OTAs and all that. But Matt is really ready to go and so is Russell.

"They've performed very well in our camps, their numbers are really close. They just deserve the chance to keep battling, and we'll figure it out in time. I keep telling our people up there [Seattle] that I'm going to be patient, so you're going to have to be patient."

While that nugget of knowledge may not indicate any rock solid decisions have been made yet, it is the most straight forward bit of insight the Hawks head coach has delivered as yet. All three quarterbacks have been splitting time relatively equally with the first team. Many times Carroll has let it be known he expects the race to take us all into the preseason despite how much it would help to name a starter sooner.

"It would help us to make it [the decision] sooner just to get things together," Carroll said. "I gotta' wait until we can figure it out, and we're doing everything we can to even out the reps. ... We're going to have to get into preseason to know anything about some games and then we'll try to go from there, we'll do it when we can."

With the last comment, Carroll acknowledges the public's need for some sort of concrete leaning he has with his naming of Jackson as his No. 1 QB heading into training camp in late July. However, as is the case with most races, the victor is not crowned until they have crossed the finish line. Until that happens, these three are still just hitting their stride.